Duck Drop To Honor Lt. Nathan Flynn As 2019 Begins

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — The Susquehanna Hose Company tested out its duck and is gearing up for the annual Duck Drop on New Year's Eve. It's hosting the annual affair in a new location.

Traditionally, the Duck Drop has been held in the parking lot near Havre de Grace Middle School and the Havre de Grace Activity Center. With construction underway for the new combined Havre de Grace Middle/High School, the 2019 celebration had to move elsewhere.

This year's Duck Drop will be on the property by Concord Point, according to Duck Drop Chairman Ed Grainger.

SEE ALSO: Duck Drop Changes Venue For 2019

The foam duck is white with a red stripe to honor the Susquehanna Hose Company firefighter who died in the line of duty this year. Lt. Nathan Flynn, 34, perished in a seven-alarm fire on July 23 in Howard County, where he worked as a career firefighter.

Flynn is survived by his wife and five children in Havre de Grace.

All donations raised at the Duck Drop will go to the Flynn family, according to Grainger.

"Music starts at 10, the duck is revealed at 11, and the duck drops at midnight..." Grainger said.

Fireworks normally go off after the duck drops; however, the fireworks have been canceled due to rain. Approximately 0.85 inch of precipitation had fallen in Norrisville as of 7 a.m. on New Year's Eve, according to unofficial data provided by the National Weather Service, and rain has continued throughout the day.

Havre de Grace tourism officials say the fireworks will be used for John O'Neill Day on May 5, 2019.

From @havredegrace:
Due to the threat of rain this evening, the fireworks portion of tonight’s New Year’s Eve Festivities has been cancelled. The Duck Drop will go on as planned at midnight at Concord Point Park. #HavredeGrace
— Susquehanna Hose Co. (@SusquehannaHose) December 31, 2018

Dropping a duck has been a New Year's tradition in Havre de Grace since 1999, and in recent years the duck has become symbolic.

In 2011, it went red, white and blue in recognition of the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

It was pink in 2012 to promote breast cancer awareness.

Last year's duck drop was a tribute to law enforcement, including Havre de Grace's finest.

The Duck Drop will begin at 10 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 31, at Concord Point, 700 Concord Street, Havre de Grace.

Photo of Concord Point Lighthouse by Elizabeth Janney.